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Waxing Moon Kindle Edition

by H. S. Kim (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
3.8 3.8 out of 5 stars 239 ratings
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Waxing Moon is an epic story set in feudal 19th century Korea, in the household of wealthy landowner Mr. O. Outside, there is political unrest as Western missionaries attempt to make inroads into the country. While the servants and wives within the O household compete for a greater degree of influence, Korea moves closer to the end of a dynasty and vast changes in the way of life for the privileged.

This story of family intrigue and political tension during the Joseon Dynasty is told with humor and warmth. The characters are driven by ambition yet tempered by love. Through the lives of the O family, the pains and passion of a country in turmoil are revealed.

"It is the interactions of the women against a vividly painted historical backdrop that engaged me from the first page."
--Audrey Chin, When the Heart Bones Break

"Set in the mid-1800s, the narrative overflows with relationships, often more competitive than amicable, both built and destroyed in the face of life and death. From Mrs. Wang, the wise and frank midwife, to the conniving Mistress Yee and to Nani, the young maid aspiring for a better life, Kim carefully crafts a community of characters seeking to master their respective universes as twilight falls on the Joseon Dynasty."
--Jonathan Cha, KoreAM
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  1. Print length
    301 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publication date
    August 14, 2013
  5. File size
    1736 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
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  8. Enhanced typesetting
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Kim handles interweaving plotlines with an easy, chatty skill; this book reads like a more modern version of The Tale of Genji, at once intimate and universal. Highly recommended." --The Historical Novel Society

"...a powerful and compelling novel of life in pre-modern Korean countryside." --Al Sandine, The Taming of the American Crowd

"H.S. Kim is a gifted storyteller with a disarming voice that makes Korean culture accessible. In her first historical novel Waxing Moon, she has woven a heart-wrenching story of human foibles, love and tragedy, and motherhood." --Andrew Pham, Catfish and Mandala

About the Author

At the age of 20, H.S. Kim moved to the US. After graduating from Teacher's College at Columbia University, she taught Creative Writing and English as a Second Language to a wide range of students, including teenagers in Harlem, prison inmates in upstate New York, businessmen in Austria, Laotian refugees in Oakland, and foreign scholars at various universities. A born storyteller, H.S. Kim began to write fiction after settling down in Berkeley, California, with her husband and two children. Waxing Moon is her first novel. Her second novel, currently under construction, will be a depiction of the 1970s in a divided Korea through the eyes of a child.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00EKFK6LO
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ WiDo Publishing (August 14, 2013)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 14, 2013
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1736 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 301 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.8 3.8 out of 5 stars 239 ratings

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H S. Kim

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Customer reviews

3.8 out of 5 stars
3.8 out of 5
239 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Donna G. Storey
5.0 out of 5 stars Historical Fiction at its Best
Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2020
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“Waxing Moon” immediately drew me into the world of old Korea and kept me turning the pages to discover what happens to the family and servants of the wealthy Mr. O. I literally could not put it down! Unlike some historical novels, the author evokes a very different time and place with a light, but confident touch through evocative description and subtle humor. The ensemble of working-class female characters was especially compelling. The earthy midwife Mrs. Wang seems to hold the power of life and death in her hands, while the young maids Nani and Mirae discover they have the resources within to fulfill their deepest ambitions. The author’s skillful storytelling and deep knowledge of Korean culture and history make for a fascinating tale that lingers on in my imagination well after the final page. This novel is historical fiction at its best!
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trlrss
4.0 out of 5 stars Like a drama
Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2017
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For being the author's first book it was quite enjoyable. A tale of old Korea about a rich man, his wives and the household. Typical of a Korean drama there was unrequited love, a mean mistress, a brave girl and wisdom in the meaning of life.
The author did a good job translating typical Korean words and phrases into English so as I read I could hear the Korean words in my head. Having lived in Korea for a short time and missing my second home I found this book to be a comforting read.
2 people found this helpful
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Christmas Carol
3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting novel
Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2022
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To learn the life of other people in other countries and at another time is always very interesting and I love learning these things
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R.a.P. in Maryland
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful
Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2020
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Such an outstanding book! Absolutely loved this story. Was so into the book right from the first page. If you're looking for a good book to sink into, this is the one. Wonderful storyline, lovely characters, beautiful place to go get lost in. ENJOY!!!❤
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bigboppar
2.0 out of 5 stars I don't understand
Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2013
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This book has excellent professional reviews, and I do not understand why. I am a voracious reader, have read thousands of books over the years, and early on studied literature. I am an informed reader, and I am not looking for classics, just a good read. This one, in my opinion, is not. The story is halting and inconsistent. The characters are sometimes fairly well developed, but usually shallow. There is non of the historical context that it promises and for which I was looking. I want to be entertained, but also informed, which is why I love historical fiction. Reading this book was more like an assignment than an enjoyment.
2 people found this helpful
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Janet Duncan
4.0 out of 5 stars I am glad I read this book
Reviewed in the United States on October 8, 2014
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I am glad I read this book, although at first I had to keep telling myself that the distance I felt with the characters was part of the point - time and cultural differences. I would have liked to have had a solid setting in time, though, which I didn't get from the book but checked another reviewer. I'm reading with western sensibilities and I don't know if that was the reason I tired of "she said" in the conversations, but I have only read a couple of other Korean novelists. Perhaps this is a style that fits the subject. (Instead of occassionally writing, "She picked up the teapot as she spoke" ... or something.) But after I finished the book, I had glimpsed not only life at that time but saw the quickening of change for the characters. It was not a pretty story, but it seemed to come out right in the end. It was quite error-free - too many books now are not - and I will look for another book by the author.
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Lourdes
5.0 out of 5 stars A compelling story
Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2014
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I found Waxing Moon by H.S. Kim to be a compelling story. From the very start, you felt as if you knew these characters. You rooted for the maid Nani as she found her place in her world, and for all the characters as they carve out an identity for themselves. I did find myself having to re-read a few passages to determine if the action was taking place in the past or the present, but overall it was a swift read. This was a lovely book--a great exploration of a new region of the world to me. I hope there's a sequel!
5 people found this helpful
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C. M. Chang
3.0 out of 5 stars Good read, interesting historical glimpse
Reviewed in the United States on November 12, 2013
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I enjoyed the story, it sucked me in and I loved the historical aspects. My favorite character was the midwife by far. I believe this book could have been edited more as it sounded too much like a non-native English speaker. Or was that intentional? Even if intentional, I found it a bit distracting. The sex scene was bizarre and seemed like it was a completely different character. Overall a good, enjoyable read though.
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Top reviews from other countries

Joe Boudreault
4.0 out of 5 stars A warm and perceptive story
Reviewed in Canada on December 18, 2018
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The novel is one of those gentle and thoughtful country stories that catch you by surprise and please you with its intimacy and its detail to rural life. Mr O's little empire has the ambitious servants and the nervous wife and problems associated with serf life in 19th century Korea. If readers are looking for high romance or fast action, look elsewhere. This is not for them.

I liked it very much, because it reminded me of the stories of Pearl S. Buck and James Clavell and Rohinton Mistry, all set in eastern Asia and all dealing with the working class. These are the stories about the people who make their world function, not the nobles who rule. Here we have Mr O, the landlord, who displays a conscience and wants to do the right thing; Mistress Yee who is constantly complaining for small reasons; Nani, the competent worker who supervises the other servants... Mirae, who aspires to a higher station, Soonyi, still learning her place, Min, the dumb youth who has a heart of gold but cannot speak it. And you can never forget Mrs Wang, the professional midwife who through her wisdom is the glue that holds everything together.

Kim has woven a tale that seems at times to be classical narration on the lives of common peasants and their caretakers. She employs phrases that embue the countryside with subtle beauty. For example, the moon was so large that "It was translucent, and it almost seemed that it had come to see them." Or the "monotonous a capella singing of summer insects...". A tortured Mr O goes to the temple seeking peace, where "the sound of the gong... rippled gently into the hollowness of one's soul".

Kim has a wonderful way of portraying this world of harsh pastoral solitude where people struggle with their given fates. Not all is sadness or torment, however. Nani, the hardest working maid, considers her plight in life: "She knew no other life. She liked ironing. When the wrinkles on a pillowcase were smoothed out, she felt happy." It's as if Nani was unwrinkling the lives around her and felt satisfied in her role. And when Mr O finds happiness of a sort, there comes a unique revelation. "Now he knew that even dreams are made of life." H.S. Kim has done remarkably well with this tale, using writing that is lushly honest and sensitive. I look forward to another work from her.
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K. K.
5.0 out of 5 stars I loved the book
Reviewed in Germany on January 3, 2014
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This book was so captivating that I could not put it aside and spent several nights reading it. This is an indicator of the goodness of a book for me as I often read books before I go to sleep. If I do not like the book, I just fall asleep. With this book it was the opposite. I was not sure after reading the resume and before reading the book whether I will like the book or not, but it was so well-written and fetching that I really loved it. Besides the exciting story, I also learned a lot about the Korean culture and traditions.
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